ABTC / APEC Business Travel Card — U.S. Policy Discussion
Sep 30, 2012, 12:14 pm
#61
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I'll send one it.
Sep 30, 2012, 7:24 pm
#62
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Sep 30, 2012, 8:03 pm
#63
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Do you make campaign contributions?
My fearless Representative, who I didn't vote for, holds a biennial fundraiser at a house across the street from me. I attend and give a little...just to be on his radar screen.
I will write and will likely get at least a little attention when I make reference to where he and I have met several times.
It's a shame that it comes to this...
Let's see.
Sep 30, 2012, 11:38 pm
#64
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Ok I did some digging around today to get the details on who to contact.
The text of the law is here:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-11...-112publ54.pdf
It was passed by the Senate as S1487, and was introduced by: Daniel Inouye (HI), Maria Cantwell (WA), and Daniel Akaka (HI).
I just emailed all three of them with the following:
I do not live in HI or WA, and so far I got an auto-reply from Cantwell that she can only respond to inquiries from her consituents. I'll write to my local senator now.
Also here is the report from the committee when the legislation was introduced:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-11...-112srpt92.pdf
Note the report estimates $2 million in 2012 (I assume FY2012, which just ended) to implement the program. So was that spent already?
Here are the current members of that committee:
http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/about
If one of those is from your home state, I recommend writing to them about this also. I just emailed the commitee's general address.
I also emailed the American Chamber of Commerce in China to see if they have any news on this, but haven't heard back.
Here is the press release from APEC which contains some information:
http://www.apec.org/Press/News-Relea...1112_ABTC.aspx
I emailed APEC to ask for a status update also:
http://www.apec.org/ContactUs.aspx
I think in addition to contacting various people like above, it would be useful to ask CBP directly. I emailed them a few weeks ago and did not receive a response. Does anyone know a credentialed travel journalist who could contact CBP's press office?
The text of the law is here:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-11...-112publ54.pdf
It was passed by the Senate as S1487, and was introduced by: Daniel Inouye (HI), Maria Cantwell (WA), and Daniel Akaka (HI).
I just emailed all three of them with the following:
You introduced the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (S1487) and it was signed into law almost 11 months ago.
It still has not been implemented, and CBP has not provided a timeframe for implementation: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1638
When will this be implemented? It is vital to helping US companies export to Asia.
It still has not been implemented, and CBP has not provided a timeframe for implementation: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1638
When will this be implemented? It is vital to helping US companies export to Asia.
Also here is the report from the committee when the legislation was introduced:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-11...-112srpt92.pdf
Note the report estimates $2 million in 2012 (I assume FY2012, which just ended) to implement the program. So was that spent already?
Here are the current members of that committee:
http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/about
If one of those is from your home state, I recommend writing to them about this also. I just emailed the commitee's general address.
I also emailed the American Chamber of Commerce in China to see if they have any news on this, but haven't heard back.
Here is the press release from APEC which contains some information:
http://www.apec.org/Press/News-Relea...1112_ABTC.aspx
I emailed APEC to ask for a status update also:
http://www.apec.org/ContactUs.aspx
I think in addition to contacting various people like above, it would be useful to ask CBP directly. I emailed them a few weeks ago and did not receive a response. Does anyone know a credentialed travel journalist who could contact CBP's press office?
Oct 1, 2012, 5:13 pm
#66
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Sending this to OMNI/PR since that seems to be what folks on the thread want to discuss.
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
Oct 3, 2012, 8:23 am
#68
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I haven't noticed them in the past - are these lines usually busy?
Based on the data I found, as of last year, there were 90,000 ABTC holders and the prediction is that once the US joins the program, that will add another 10-15,000 ABTC holders. So assuming all ABTC holders travel equally (a weak assumption, I know), then having the US join the program will increase usage by 17% at the high end.
Based on the data I found, as of last year, there were 90,000 ABTC holders and the prediction is that once the US joins the program, that will add another 10-15,000 ABTC holders. So assuming all ABTC holders travel equally (a weak assumption, I know), then having the US join the program will increase usage by 17% at the high end.
Oct 3, 2012, 12:33 pm
#70
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I received some information from the US APEC center, that I emailed last night. Their response was:
That still doesn't give much information, but it's a bit more information than can be found on CBP's website.
"At present our understanding is that the US government is still working out the mechanics by which the card will be issued, but that the system may be operational by the end of the year."
Oct 4, 2012, 3:57 am
#71
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I'm traveling and don't have it on my laptop, but it was basically letters stating the law was passed last November, nothing has happened since, it would be useful in my business, and the delay is costing the U.S. trade revenue it would gain.
Nope.
Do you make campaign contributions?
Nov 1, 2012, 5:25 am
#73
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Nov 1, 2012, 5:27 am
#74
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Now November and still nothing.
Yet another law the administration apparently doesn't want to enforce.
I am so disgusted with the U.S. government. All talk and no action.
Yet another law the administration apparently doesn't want to enforce.
I am so disgusted with the U.S. government. All talk and no action.
Nov 1, 2012, 2:16 pm
#75
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I'm frustrated by this as well. Just spent another $140 to renew my Chinese visa for another year, which I may have been able to avoid if ABTC was in place.
Does anyone know a travel journalist who would be interested in writing a story about this? Maybe going through CBP's press office will get some solid answers.
Does anyone know a travel journalist who would be interested in writing a story about this? Maybe going through CBP's press office will get some solid answers.